Very sad story. Will surely have negative outcries about the dogs. The dogs are not to blame, how did a 2good year old get onto a vantage point that could allow this accident to happen? Was the mother responsible for his being where he shouldn't have been?

Very sad !
My question : How can any responsible parent risk the life of their child by sitting/standing him on a four foot fence that known to hold wild painted dogs ? My heart goes out to the child .... my anger goes out to the irresponsible parent that played a part in this child's death.

I am very sorry for the parents and sensitive to their grief, however....why would you put a 2 yr old on the railing??? Also, those dogs are extremely close to being extinct, that woman's bad judgement resulted in her childs death & the animal's death! Very, Very Sad!!!

I can't imagine what these parents are going through. The mother will never be the same. I would like to think I would have jumped into the pit to try to save my child. She was probably in shock. I hope people will treat her with kindness. It might help her survive this horrible tragedy.

I would have jumped in broken bones and all to save my son. I would have sheltered him. If I would have died oh well. God bless all of them

They should of had appropriate coverage for that area so kids nor adults could EVER fall in. Especially if they knew that these "dogs" were so aggressive. This is such a sad sad story. No child should ever go through this. I would have jumped over and protected my son with my life. I would have fought them off of us. This is such a ridiculous thing to hear about..

My heart goes out to the parents. I think its harsh the way she's being judged for something I'm sure a lot of people do. She has to live with this tragedy for rest of her life. She has to replay the horrific incident over & over ahain. There should be a barrier preventing someone from falling into that exhibit as well. Also the same animals escaped in May. So they definitely at this point need to put the animals in a more secure exhibit.

I read else where that it is not confirmed that the boy died from being attacked by the dogs but he may have died from the fall. What's the scoop Erin?

I agree with everything Stevie Evans said....I know that enclosure, and I know there is an area with clear glass that they could've gone to. This is poor judgement by the mother, nothing else. I will not take away from the pain she is feeling, and I feel terrible she has to go through this. But sadly, someone is to blame here, and that is the mother. Not the zoo, not the dogs, not the child. Pittsburgh Zoo meets or exceeds all safety requirements, this is a fact.

And about the dogs escaping back in May, that instance is irrelevant to this case. The dogs were not running around the zoo causing havoc. They had dug under a fence into their own "back up yard" that was still a part of their exhibit and is closed off to the public. So please, before even referring to that instance, know what you are talking about.

To everyone saying the mother should have jumped in to save her child--check out some videos of African Painted Dogs on Youtube. You would never think that an animal smaller than a German Shepard could be so vicious. They are not even comparable to pet dogs. You can't say what you would have done unless you were there... So at least check out footage of these amimals before you continue to judge. Yes, the mother should have NEVER put het child in that position but after the fall i highly doubt that she (or anyone) would have been able to save him with their bare hands.

Great people, lets blame the zoo for low fencing or the wild animal for doing what wild animals do - typical response

The mother was at fault here, she acted like a moron, plain and simple, and if I was her husband and the father of the child, I would be absolutely irate at her. That child is dead because she failed to act like a responsible adult. Her actions were blatant reckless endangerment and she should be charged with such, her actions got her child killed.

People pleading for understanding and sympathy contribute to this culture of someone else is to blame. You choose to have a child, she chose to take that child to the zoo, and she chose to put her child in harms way. She made bad choices. Sure, 99/100 times a parent does this, nothing goes wrong, most times people drink and drive, nothing goes wrong, but when it does, they are caught and punished accordingly and the same concept applies here.

I am very sad and hurt over this young child's life being taken in that manner. I only pray to God that he died from the fall, and didn't know anything after that. I am sorry people, but the mother is irresponsible and should be charged with child endangerment and failing to protect her child's welfare and safety. As horrific as this is, everyone is moaning over the poor mother. What about that poor little baby who looked up to momma for his protection? When you do stupid crap, you suffer stupid consequences. She needs a psychiatrist to have her brain examined, thoroughly. Who the hell would put their baby up on a ledge, fence, or whatever, for any reason, to see wild animals, knowing that this child could probably fall to his death? I hope she never has anymore kids, ever, if she loves them like this.

The people on here that are condemning this women make me sick! If you ask me, you are even more savage than the dogs in this story. It's not like she was dangling th child over the pit. She obviously lifted him up there for a better look, and something went wrong. You'd probably feel it was just if she ended up taking her own life over her grief or guilt. All the people (including the mother) involved in this incident need support.

It is the mother's fault and she was holding on to the child properly that baby would have never fell. In common sense you do not put a child on a rail like that you keep them on the ground or you hold them that is very irresponsible parenting. And yes that was my child I would have jumped in and sheltered my child she should be put in prison for that because basically she killed her son

Loran, I have deleted your comment because profanity is not allowed by the Patch Terms of Use: http://dormont-brookline.patch.com/terms

Please feel free to re-post your comment without swear words. Thanks.

This lady really needs to b charged. The only person who should get the sympathy is the child and father. Due to him not being there. The mother had NO BUSINESS putting that poor baby at risk. He is two he didnt know better. She did. What that women did makes me so angry, i been crying all day and i dont even know these ppl. I have a 2 year old and it really breaks my heart. This is the worst thing that i have had bother me this bad in a very long time. Two year olds can hardly balance on ground let alone on a 14 ft cliff. That was stupidity all around. Something that should have never happened.

How can family stand there and watch that poor baby get ate. Words cant even describe wat i think. It is not the zoos fault. It is the irresponsible mothers fault. Wat was going through thats idiots mind. Something needs to be done. Nobody Surely is that dumb to be so careless. As she was putting that sweet baby at risk she should have been totally focused on him. Wow is,all i can say. Its so sad it dont seem real.

And now i read that the fall did not kill him.None of the worthless ppl did anything to save the poor thing. That idiot mother will live her life knowing she could have saved her son two different times but DID NOT. That sweet boy had to feel the pain. Most ppl that cared would have jumped in to get their child but not them. Humm kinda odd if u ask me.

You people do know that the railings are designed with the knowledge that children will be held on them, that's why they have that angle on them. Please before you blame anyone for something that they did remember that you really don't know what happened and honestly your opinion is helping anyone or anything except to feed your ego. Have some compassion.

All of you on here are correct, that mother better be charged with this!! She absolutley knew that the zoo had animals that were vicious if something came into their territory. i have a 14 month old little boy and i know my son looks up to me for protection. My son would NEVER be on a ledge like this let alone fall. but if i was ever in this situation i would of jumped down and saved my son! those dogs could maul me to death not my son! i hope this woman lives her life knowing that its HER fault her babyboy is dead. this is a sad sad horrific story. she didnt even TRY to save her son which makes me the most mad! this mother needs to be evaluated and checked for no brain cells!!! i watch my son at all times even if he is on the floor and she was so careless. oh well, i will get closure of this story by saying god took his little angel back home & he is safe now. god knew she wasnt a good mother so he took this precious innocent little baby home.

Wow so ignorant. The zoo has signs for ppl like u and her saying to stay off. And wat i said is not blame it is the TRUTH buddy.

Chloe i absolutely agree with you 100%.

This is a tragic accident. Tossing blame around is not what people should be doing. Praying for the family of the toddler who perished is what people should be doing.

Not the mother, i pray for that poor kid who was alive wen gt mauled to death and ppl just watched. Pathetic

Hi Stephanie,

I never stated that a fence should have a seat for a child to sit on and view. Please read ny post again.

Thanks

May the first person who has never done something foolish or made a poor judgement feel free to condemn here. This family has suffered a tragic loss and will never be the same. It is time for some empathy rather than judgement. I also regret the loss of an endangered animal and these wild animals were only doing what wild animals do. The unfortunate child was prey or dinner.

Yes, none of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes. However, there is such a thing as Common Sense, and Common Knowledge, of which this child's mother had neither. Let me break it down for you. Common sense says, if I put my child up on this ledge, he could fall and those wild animals could eat him. Common knowledge says, my son cannot fly should he fall, and these rules were placed here for a reason. I should definitely obey them. I have a huge compassionate heart, but whenever I hear of anything bad happening to a child, I get very angry. I could care less about the grownups because they can help themselves, and children are very vunerable.

Very true . The baby didnt know better, he trusted that mother of his and look where he is now. Kids and animals cannot help themselves thats what we r here for. Yes we all make mistakes but wen it comes to our kids there is no excuse especially for something that dumb

I am a grandma to a two year boy. I too had visited the zoo two weeks before, with my two daughters and grandson. We too had stopped at the platform. I stood at that window and thought to myself that if some child had a mind to could climb on railing, jump on net and swing down into pit. Or stand at window and throw harmful things in past that net, and injury the animals. YES, Animals! I wish you would not call them dogs! Told my grandson when he called them doggies.NO...they are not doggies. He viewed them with his feet on the ground. He waited up for better view. My daughter held him up in her arms back away from window. That still made me nervous and I wanted to leave area. The animals were boring laying in piles far end of pit. But I do wished these ones are destroyed. I can see ever going to zoo and letting my grandchild stop at that area without wondering if they see lunch in every small child staring at them since they have killed that easy prey before. Moving them would only put another city in danger. What if they escape again. Zoo is surrounds by houses. RIP BABY BOY my prayers are you.

the mother should be charged, it is her fault and not the zoo's or animals fault. Had she had put her child on a railing overlooking a lake and and he fell in, she would have pRobally been charged. I think the DA felt sorry for the family. Sorry she should have been charged. it is her fault that baby died